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Actually doing some focused learning.
So, I’ve been playing guitar for 5 years… this time round.
When I was in my late teens in played for a year… didn’t get far at all.
Then in my early twenties, for 2 years.
And at 49, I decided it was time for me to stop wasting my time & commit to learning guitar.
My father loved excellence, & hated anything else… “I don’t care what you do son, as long as you do it well,” was always his catch-cry.
I payed the flute for him, once.
I played the cello for him once, & once only.
It is Devastating to be told at 8 & 11, “stop that, you’re no good at it & you sound awful”. A musical prodigy/genius I was not. I was also not to quick on the uptake, so I didn’t get the message until the second round, but the second time it stuck. I never, Never, made another musical note/sound around my father agin.
Dad died, 15 years ago. I loved him, still do but finally, finally it was safe for me to Try to learn guitar. And learn I have, after my own, flawed fashion.
I like finger style guitar. I can play some finger style guitar. 12
SMALL WIN 1.
I have overcome, my fear of trying, & failing.
(Be careful of how you criticise someone’s playing, especially of a child. The damage caused can last a lifetime. I try to live by “if you haven’t got anything nice to say… shut up!”) Err, I should say I’m not alway successful with that, but you keep trying, no?
The theory comes easy, learning chord shapes & picking patterns, is more challenging, but it is coming along. As is making my own picking patterns, melodies & music. Hmm, seems like 10 years of of compulsory formal music education actually paid off!
I Still, suffer from almost paralysing, self-consciousness when playing in front of others, but I manage, just, in front of my family, mostly.
I’ve even played in front of my mum, & step-father. It’s so… odd..? getting praise, being asked to “bring your guitar please.” It’s almost like I’m a guitarist! Or maybe even a musician!
I have many, many holes in my guitar knowledge. I’m miles better with my fingers than with a pick. I’m awful with a pick. I am no where near where I think I should be as a guitarist. It’s because I find what I want to learn, (sometimes it takes a while), learn that, then I’m off I’m my own little world, playing with what I just acquired. No more learning… just playing. Until the next cycle. Could be a day, a week or months.
SMALL WINN 2.
I signed up 6 days ago. I’ve logged on every day, & I’ve hit the first week of 30 days to play… hard. Every day, for 30 minutes. Every day. No kids, one wife & two dogs, leaves a fella plenty of time to play.
I still don’t like that weird, picky thing, but I’m starting to not dislike it so much. And I can concentrate on just the picking, chord shapes and fingerings come easy to me. Strumming, alternate picking, with an actual pick… who would have thought.
After working on the shuffle, the bass line & the blues boogie for 30 a day, for six days, I’m experiencing & hearing an improvement in All of my playing.
I can shuffle, (badly)… Win!
I can play the blues baseline, to a moderately fast tempo, with a pick (shudder), & my fingers (yay)… Win!
I can play the blues boogie, to a moderately fast tempo, with a pick (shudder), & my fingers (yay)… Win!
My playing, of my music, is improving, noticeably. Win!
I know this is the Small Win, discussion, but I’ve had a good hand full of Small Wins, & that adds up to a Big Win for me.
Wow, that was long!
If you’re still with me, thank you for reading my self-indulgent trumpet blowing. I hope you’ve found something of value.
If you’re just starting your guitar journey, keep at it. It seems impossible that you will get better, but you will. Try not to miss to many things, you’ll find yourself coming back to fill in the gaps later.
If some is unkind enough to say “you suck”, reply with “thanks for that, it means so much to me,” & cary on regardless. I sucked for at least a year. I have many friends who are guitarists. Some are good, some are very good, two are famous. None, have ever, been “mean” with their comments.
Be nice to each other, play guitar, & most importantly, have FUN!
Thanks TAC family.
Pickes of my babies are attached.
Maton SRS S70, the Dreadnaught. Full voice, beautiful tone, easy to play & Loud. 5 years old, &opening up nicely.
Maton SRS 808C, smaller body cutaway. Beautiful balanced voice, super responsive to the lightest brush of the fingers, gorgeous to finger pick on, amazing pickup system. 6 moths old, so the tone is just starting to develop.
That’s it from hot, Humid Brisbane.
🇦🇺🎼🎸🐕🙏🏽
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5 Replies
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@Timo67 That was a really awesome story!! Thank you so much for sharing it here with your fellow geek buddies. And yanno, most of us share all or part of your same story. Honest!! So we know where you’re coming from.
And yanno what else? You get the BIG WIN AWARD of the year, for your persistence. You have not thrown in the towel and you are still practicing every day. That is huge. I applaud you. And I encourage you to play guitar for yourself first. Then for others if you decide to. Play because you love it and because it makes you happy.
And I think somewhere, someone is looking down from above, listening and smiling. Maybe even tapping his foot a little bit.
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Dear Carol-3M-Stillhand,
Thanks so much for your kind reply. I glad you found some value min my story. The most unexpected result of practising consistently, on things I don’t know, is that after only 6 days, I’m already seeing the shoots of results. My plectrum work is getting smoother, & more accurate & I’ve got some new basslines to play finger style.
I’m not real good on this social interaction thing (years as a programmer), but I’m trying.
🎼🎸👏🏽🇦🇺
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Timo67-
I gotta agree with Carol.
Your story- and persistence- is pretty incredible.
Here in TAC, there are a LOT of us who have or have had self-consciousness issues of playing anywhere near others. Your story is a fantastic inspiration to all of us who’ve ever felt that.
And as Carol said— your dad is probably smilin’.
The nuts & bolts of your playing will come easily to you… Your story is BIG WIN material! Thanks for sharing that.
Mark J
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Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you found some value in my post. It was a bit of a whinge, but the point was, be a bit kind with your comments, you never know when they cut to the bone.
My dad & I had a good relationship at the end & I’m kinda sorry he never got to hear me play. His favourite musician was Willy Nelson. Willy’s been one of my favourites for decades too.
I learned a basic version of “The Red Headed Stranger” by the same about a year ago. It’s a super simple Boom Chick strum, but like all supper simple music, there’s a trap… any mistakes stick out like dog’s balls =8-O.
Really enjoying the 30 days to play, most of it rip through in minutes, but there are some Gems in there.
Learned to shuffle, learned a base-line, learned the blues boogie. It’s really simple, basic stuff, but I love learning it, then playing with & changing it.
Louie, Louie… never thought to play that with power chords… clever!
Washington, eh? I was in your neck of the woods, 3 years ago. The Mrs & I did a cruise from Florida, around the islands, through the canal, & up the west coast to Sitka. Went by the inside & outside passages.
Man that’s some soggy, beautiful country you live in my friend.
Anyhow, back to the guitar.
Keep on pickin’ man.
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Not too long at all, Timo.
My dad was similar. He would tell you if you were doing something badly, but he was just as quick to tell us kids when we did something well or if he was proud of us.
I also try not to say too much if it can’t be something nice, but I don’t think any of us are perfect in that respect.
It sounds like you’re making some good progress. Keep working.
I’m only a little over 3 months into my journey and I know I’m learning. I just can’t always remember what I learned. 🙂 I recently went back home to Illinois to visit for a few days and spent an afternoon with a friend that has been playing for years. He was happy to help me out, but I was still very self conscious about playing in front of him. Maybe someday it will get easier for both you and me.
Keep at it.
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